The Inclinations Shawl—a Make Nine finish

 My Inclinations Shawl, a stash buster yarn project for Make Nine 2023, is finished (and not without a few froggings)!

Make Nine 2023 finish: yarn stash buster project, the Inclinations Shawl.

This is my second Make Nine 2023 finish, and fulfills the stash buster prompt. You can't go wrong with a stash buster project that also has stripes. It's always an exciting knit!

Inclinations Shawl, a stash buster project. 68" x 42.5"

2-row stripes with variegated yarns

At first, I thought I'd use a monochromatic blue yarn [Classic Shades from Universal Yarn] and interject brighter, more colorful stripes using Poems [Universal Yarn]. However, the more the variegated colors of Poems interacted, I became fond of the colorplay effects achieved within the single skeins.

Starting the Inclinations Shawl.

So, after the Classic Shades skein was used up, I busted through various skeins of Poems and let the colors in this variegated yarn play on its own terms across the rows. This is how the center glow was achieved with the lighter colored skeins of Poems.

Inclinations Shawl showing the lighter colors in the center.

I busted through 10 skeins of yarn from the stash. A nice dent, I'd say.

Over 10 skeins of yarn used.

When the remainder of the 10th skein of Poems was all brown and all the same value, I stopped knitting. By this time, I had 174 stitches on the needle and the shawl was well over 75" on the diagonal side. The last color change was a stripe of bright magenta... and ending on a bright note was my signal to wrap it up.

Striped, I-cord bind-off.

In the pattern, there were several options for a bind-off.  I chose the 2-yarn, striped I-cord version. The bind-off took quie a long time, but well worth the investment. 

Project Stats

Here are the specs for my Inclinations Shawl:

• Over 10 skeins of worsted weight yarn: 9+ skeins of Poems [100% wool, 109 yd, 50g]; and 1 skein of Classic Shades [30% wool, 70% dralon, 197 yd, 100 g]
• finished size: 68" x 42.5" with a hypotenuse of 78" (unblocked)
• size 5 needle
• 174 stitches at the bind-off
• 262 rows.

Frogging did occur!

I had a difficult time figuring out how to fix errors with the half Fisherman's rib stitch. The floats that are created when you knit the stitch below made it confusing for me. I tried a couple of times if I caught an error in one row beneath, but going down several rows was chaos.

Trying to fix mistakes several rows below was not successful.

Frogging did occur. Twice. With about 3 - 4 inches of knitting each time—at the wider side of the shawl. Not fun, but a cleaner result once it was re-knit. Luckily, the "stickiness" of the wool yarn helped preserve the live stitches so it was easier to get them back on the needle after ripping out the rows.

Frogged!

Make Nine 2023 progress: 2 of 9

This is my second Make Nine project for this year. It was finished 3 days prior to the start of The 100 Day Project in which I am participating. 

Make Nine 2023 worksheet: stash buster prompt fulfilled.

My Inclinations Shawl.

I've used this shawl several times already. It's warm yet light weight, squishy and snuggly. I love the color changes and I'm happy to have created something new with stash and leftover yarns.

Minimize textile waste with upcycled, scrap buster projects

I try my best to minimize fabric, yarn and clothing waste through scrap projects, mending and donating to charities. Looking around the house and my studio lately, I realized the variety of scrap buster projects—for both yarn and fabric scraps—that I worked on in 2022. These are favorites from this past year.

2022 upcycled and scrap buster projects: (from left) knitted dish cloths, fabric twine,
and Zoom Loom sock mug rugs.

Hand knit dishcloths

After discovering the Dishcloth Challenge from Modern Daily Knitting this summer, I got immersed in these scrap-busting, quick knits. Dishcloths are also a great portable project for travel. 

Cotton dishcloths use up multitude of leftover yarn scraps.

Combining small bits of leftover yarns, I enjoy the experimental practice of unplanned color combinations and the surprising results. I have mostly used the linen stitch because it's easy to remember, and the slipped stitches merge the yarn colors within a single row.

Fifteen colorful cotton dishcloths.

Cotton dishcloths qualified for my Slow Stitching Make Nine project in August, but I have continued making them through December. I like that these are colorful and pretty as well as functional.

Dishcloths: Slow Stitch Make Nine Project.

The last one is off the needles with just the crochet edge remaining.

Dishcloth ready for crocheted edge finish.

Fabric twine

In 2021, I started making fabric twine with trimmings and strips from quiltmaking. Any fabric strip that is too thin to use for patchwork—especially if it's a long strip—is set aside for making twine. I've continued making twine this year. It's another good travel project.

Taking fabric twine supplies when traveling.

The Loopy Loom upcycles socks into coasters

A rediscovery of the Loopy Loom/Zoom Loom is converting old socks into woven coasters. 

Using the Loopy Loom for sock weaving.

I'm still experimenting with these as I've learned that some socks contain elastic and the loops stretch and contract at different rates. So, sometimes the coasters are slightly off-square.

Woven mug rugs from discarded socks.

But this project ticks all the sustainability boxes for me! It takes an un-repairable textile and converts it into a new, useful object. And these little coasters are thick and squishy and so very functional. They fulfilled my Mend/Upcycle prompt for Make Nine 2022.

Collection of woven sock coasters/mug rugs.

Improv patchwork kitty quilts

Of course, a wonderful scrap project is making kitty quilts and charity quilts. In 2022, sixteen kitty quilts were made and gifted to friends, the Cat Clinic of Chattanooga, or are enjoyed by our pack of adopted outside kitties. (Note, our kitties adopted us, not the other way around.)

Improv patchwork quilt top ready for quilting.

The kitty quilts fulfilled the Scraps and Crumbs prompt for Make Nine 2022. Not only are fabric scraps used to make these, but odd strips and pieces of batting are also patched together to make these quilts.

Four improv patchwork kitty quilts.

Twelve scrappy kitty quilts.

Scrap buster 2022 year-end tally

• 19 cotton dishcloths
• 8 recycled sock mug rugs made on the Loopy Loom
• 16 kitty quilts
• 4 cuddle quilts for the guild's community service project
• yards and yards of fabric twine

A fulfilling year!

Cotton dish cloths: a Slow Stitching, Make Nine finish

Since discovering the Dishcloth Knit-along issued by Modern Daily Knitting at the end of July, I was enticed to retrieve needles, hooks and cotton yarns to join in and make a few dish cloths.

One crocheted and one knitted dishcloth.

Fun, summer stitching

Using a small amount of a cotton yarn, a dishcloth is a cool, easy, summer knit, that is functional as well as fun to make. During the month of August, I sourced my personal yarn stash for half balls and left-over cottons and knitted and crocheted 6 of them… with another dish cloth WIP on the needles. 

Three handmade dish cloths: two knitted and one crocheted (center).

As I work through odds and ends of cotton yarns, there will no doubt be a few more dish cloths made by year’s end. It's been fun finding and practicing different stitch patterns for making them. The fact that I'm using up leftovers is also an appealing benefit.

A variety of cotton yarns from my stash.

My 7th Make Nine Finish

I’m counting these hand stitching projects as fulfillment of my Make Nine 2022 Slow Stitching prompt. 

Slow Stitching prompt on my Make Nine 2022 planning sheet.

This makes 7 of 9 Make Nine projects completed for 2022. I feel I’m in good shape!

Make Nine 2022 status: August 31, 2022

Lolita vest: third finish in the Make Nine Challenge

The third finish in my Make Nine Challenge is Lolita, a side-to-side knit vest with lace patterning. The pattern is by Jamie Thomas for Imagine Knits. This finish also moves one long-time project off the knitting UFO list. A good feeling!

Lolita vest. Completed March 2019.

I purchased the Lolita vest pattern at the Stitches South expo in 2012 or 2013. The piece finally came off the needles in 2019 and was blocked the weekend of St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Days, this past March.

After a 6-7 year time span, Lolita came off the needles in March 2019.

Once off the needles, I could definitely tell my tension was different (a bit more relaxed) in 2019 from when I started the vest 6 - 7 years ago. Blocking helped even out the knitting somewhat.

Blocking the Lolita vest.

I need more practice with seaming lace patterns. (The shoulder joins were evidence of this!) But I enjoyed getting back into knitting. The Louisa Harding 50% Merino wool/50% silk yarn was lovely—during the process and in the end result. And I am happy to have completed another piece to add to a handmade, MeMade wardrobe. 

Lolita vest. Back view.

I have about 160 yards of this yarn remaining. Maybe fingerless mitts are in my knitting future???

Make Nine sketchbook and remaining yarn from Lolita knit vest.

Knitting begets knitting
Dusting off the knitting needles for this project has also rekindled my fondness for knitting—and the mindfulness of the process. So I rummaged my yarn stash and have started a new vest—Juzu, by rie vive. You can see the ball and needles in my hands in the top photo. I've made good progress in a month's time.

Juzu knit vest in progress.

Knitting begets more knitting! 

Knitting friends, fiends and fanatics

What a fiberlicious, yarny Show and Tell we had at my Sock Knitting Basics class last night!

Hand kit scarves

At the first session of the Sock Knitting class, I asked if everyone had done any knitting over the summer. My students mentioned several projects, so I asked if they would bring something to the next class meeting for Show and Tell. Let me tell you, it was a fiber feast for the eyes and the fingers!

There were cabled, patterned and lace scarves; hats with rosettes, funky fringe, picots and pom poms; chemo caps, knitted pouches, shawls, wraps, and capelets. I could not believe all the beautiful, hand knitted creations these women completed in a little over 3 months—and two of them had just taken my Beginning Knitting classes this past January. Talk about knitting fanatics...

Sharon knits chemo caps with a church group.

Jane commented that her hand knit pieces—especially scarves and neckwear—is her new jewelry. It adds color, texture, contrast and a bit of bling to the body and draws the eye up to the face. I couldn't have said it better! (Jane (below left) is usually smiling and laughing in class—I snapped this picture while she was talking.)

Jane (left) with a lace mohair scarf.
Lois (right) shows a cabled wrap for her dog.
Check out Lois' pile of scarves in front of her!

The knitters shared knitting and pattern tips, discoveries they learned by working on these projects, sources for favorite knitting patterns and yarns, where to find the "sale bins" and the stories behind the projects.  All this is what knitting and sharing our passions for the fiber arts is all about!

All kinds of knitted hats with trims and embellishments.

Knitted scarves and hats.

After an inspiring Show and Tell, we got down to the business of sock knitting. My students sailed through the magic of the heel turn, navigated the gusset and were cruising along on the decreases for the toe by the end of the evening. Next week begins a four week class on No Fuss Color Knitting! See you then.

Sock Knitting Basics class projects.